妻子劝夫

Yan Zi was a famous prime minister of the State of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period。

 

One day, Yan Zi went out in a carriage driven by his coachman.

 

The coachman's wife had never seen Yan Zi before and wished to have a look at him. She peeped from behind the door. "Ah, here comes Yan Zi!" She got the impression that though he was the prime minister of the State of Qi, he talked and behaved with great modesty¹. But her own husband? Haughty² and arrogant³, he sat under the big canopy⁴ driving the carriage for Yan Zi. yet considering himself unexcelled in the world. She was much ashamed of her husband.

 

As soon as the coachman returned home. His wife asked for a divorce. The coachman was baffled, unable to make head or tail of this, and asked angrily: "A divorce? What is your reason?"

 

The wife answered:"Yan Zi is less than a chi(Chinese unit of length, 1/3 metre) tall, but his heart is filled with aspirations⁵ and his mind with knowledge. Though he is the prime minister he is courteous⁶ and treats people prudently⁸ when he goes out. But what about you?" you are fully⁹ 8 chi tall, but you forget that you are only a coachman. By the side of the prime minister, you dare to look so cocky, consider yourself always in the right, and brandish¹⁰ the whip to urge the horse on in utter complacency. You are so immodest that I can't live with you any longer."

 

Upon hearing his wife's wife's words, the coachman felt much ashamed. Thereafter he became very careful and prudent⁷ in doing things and treated people modestly.

 

Yan Zi noticed the big change in the coachman's behavior and couldn't understand why. So he asked the coachman.

 

The coachman told Yan Zi his wife's criticism in detail. At this, Yan Zi was deeply moved. Later Yan Zi recommended him to be a da fu (a senior official).

 

晏子是春秋时期齐国有名的相国。

 

一天，晏子坐着马车外出。一位车夫为他赶车。

 

车夫的妻子从来没有见过晏子，很想看看。她就从门缝中偷偷地观看：“呵，晏子出来了！”她得到的印象是，晏子身为齐国相国，但是言谈举止显得非常谦虚。可是，自己的丈夫呢？他坐在车上的大伞下为晏子驾驭马车，却趾高气扬，不可一世。妻子看了十分羞愧。

 

车夫一进家门，妻子就提出要和他离婚。车夫一时莫名其妙，摸不着头脑，便生气地问：“离婚，为什么？”

 

妻子回答：晏子身高虽然没有六尺，但是他胸怀大志，满腹锦纶。他身为相国，外出时，对人彬彬有礼，谦虚谨慎。你呢？身高足八尺，可是你忘了，你不过是个车夫，却在相国身旁神奇十足，自以为是，挥鞭催马，得意忘形。你这样不知谦逊，我不能再和你生活下去了。“

 

车夫听了妻子的话，觉得很惭愧。从此，他做事小心谨慎，待人谦逊。

 

晏子看到车夫变化很大，不知为什么，就询问车夫。

 

车夫把妻子对自己的批评一五一十地告诉了晏子。晏子听了，感叹不已。后来，晏子推荐这位车夫出任大夫。

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